Turboprop
Pilatus PC-12, King Air 350
- Seats
- 6–9
- Range
- ~1,800 nm
- Per hour
- $1,800–3,200
On-demand charter, explained
Jet card or charter? Compare before you commit.
A jet card buys certainty: a fixed rate and an aircraft when you call. Charter buys freedom: nothing paid up front and the right aircraft for each trip. Tell us a trip you will actually take and we’ll price it all-in, so you have a real number to hold against any card offer.
- Quotes from FAA Part 135 operators
- Federal excise tax included
- Nothing to join
Price a trip
All-in charter quotes, with the operator named.
One honest comparison
We say so when a card would serve you better than charter, and explain why.
All-in charter pricing
Excise tax, segment fees and known airport costs appear on every quote.
Certificated operators
Every flight is run by a Part 135 carrier, or its foreign equivalent abroad.
No commitment
No deposit, no membership and no minimum hours, just a quote for the trip.
At a glance
What you get, and what you give up.
Card programs differ, so treat this as the general shape of the trade, then read the terms of any card you are offered.
| Consideration | Jet card | On-demand charter |
|---|---|---|
| Money up front | A deposit or block of hours, paid before you fly | Nothing until you book a trip |
| Hourly rate | Fixed or capped for the term, by category | Quoted per trip; moves with demand |
| Guaranteed aircraft | With set notice, outside peak and blackout days | Confirmed by the operator trip by trip |
| Peak days | Surcharges, longer notice, some blackouts | No blackouts, but prices climb with demand |
| Daily minimums | Commonly 1 to 2 billed hours per flight day | Set by each operator, often 1 to 2 hours |
| One-way trips | Often one-way pricing inside a service area | May include the empty return; empty legs help |
| Choice of aircraft | The categories your card covers | Any category, chosen for each trip |
| If you stop flying | Refunds depend on the card’s terms | Nothing to unwind |
in your favour · depends on terms or timing · works against you. We don’t sell cards; we quote charter, so you can test any card offer against real numbers.
Run the calculator
Card vs charter calculator
Four questions, one straight answer.
Answer four questions about how you fly and get a verdict with the reasons behind it, plus an estimate of what the same hours cost on demand.
- Hours a yearHow much you fly in a typical year.
- Peak-day shareHow much of it lands on holidays.
- Typical tripsShort hops, mid-length or long legs.
- CertaintyHow often you need an aircraft guaranteed.
Aircraft
The same five sizes, either way you pay.
Card or charter, you choose among the same categories. Hourly ranges are US market estimates before tax and fees.
Light jet
Phenom 300E, Citation CJ4, Learjet 75
- Seats
- 6–8
- Range
- 2,000–2,150 nm
- Per hour
- $3,500–5,500
Midsize jet
Citation XLS+
- Seats
- 7–9
- Range
- ~2,100 nm
- Per hour
- $4,500–7,000
Super-midsize jet
Challenger 350, Citation Longitude, Praetor 600
- Seats
- 8–10
- Range
- 3,200–4,000 nm
- Per hour
- $6,500–9,500
Large cabin jet
Gulfstream G450, Challenger 650, Falcon 2000LXS
- Seats
- 10–16
- Range
- 4,000–4,300 nm
- Per hour
- $8,500–13,000
Ultra long range jets such as the G650ER and Global 7500 sit above these, at roughly $12,000–20,000+ an hour. Full specifications
How it works
From first question to wheels-up.
- I
Tell us the trip
A route, a date and the number of passengers. Mention any card offer you are weighing, if you like.
- II
We price it properly
We approach Part 135 operators with suitable aircraft and build an all-in price for each option.
- III
Compare like for like
Hold our quote against a card’s hourly rate, surcharges and minimums for the very same trip.
- IV
Book only if it’s right
Sign the charter agreement and pay. Your trip sheet follows, and the same advisor stays with you.
Popular routes
Six trips worth pricing both ways.
Flight times are approximate for a typical jet. Pick one to begin a quote with the route already entered.
Standards
Who flies you matters more than how you pay.
Card or charter, the aircraft should come from a certificated operator with a clean record. Every flight we arrange is run under FAA Part 135, or the foreign equivalent abroad, by the carrier in operational control of the aircraft.
The rule itself is public: 14 CFR Part 135 on eCFR.
ARGUS
ARGUS ratings, from Gold through Gold+ to Platinum, reflect a review of an operator’s safety record, pilots and aircraft; Platinum operators have also passed an on-site audit.
Wyvern
Operators that pass Wyvern’s audit against its safety standard are designated Wyvern Wingman, a mark many corporate travel policies call for.
IS-BAO
The industry’s international code of practice for business aircraft. Registered operators progress through stages 1, 2 and 3 as their safety management matures.
Questions
Card or charter: what people ask.
Is a jet card cheaper than charter?
It depends on how you fly. A card fixes the hourly rate, but you pay up front and accept peak-day surcharges and daily minimums. Below roughly 25 hours a year, paying per trip usually comes out ahead; above that, price both against your real trips.
What does a jet card actually guarantee?
Typically a fixed hourly rate for a category of aircraft, and an aircraft whenever you book with the required notice, except on the program’s peak or blackout days. The precise promises sit in each card’s terms, and they vary from program to program.
Do you sell jet cards?
No. We arrange on-demand charter. If you are weighing a card, send us two or three trips you would use it for and we will quote them, so the comparison rests on real numbers.
What are peak days and blackout dates?
Peak days are high-demand dates, mostly around major holidays, when cards add a surcharge or ask for longer notice. Blackout dates are the few days when a program may not guarantee an aircraft at all.
What is a daily minimum?
The fewest hours you are billed for any day you fly, commonly 1 to 2. Cards and charter operators both use them, and they weigh most heavily on short flights.
Can I keep a card and still charter?
Yes, and plenty of frequent flyers do: the card covers routine trips, while charter handles peak days, unusual routes or a different size of aircraft.
Who operates the flights you arrange?
A certificated carrier: an FAA Part 135 operator in the US, or the equivalent authority’s operator abroad. You learn which one before you book.
Is there anything to pay before I get a quote?
Nothing at all. There is no membership and no deposit; payment comes only when you book and sign the charter agreement.
Perspectives
Reading the fine print, so you don’t have to.
What a jet card fixes, and what it locks you into
What a jet card really solves, from fixed hourly rates to guaranteed aircraft, and the commitments, surcharges and terms that come with it.
Peak days, blackout dates and daily minimums
How peak-day surcharges, blackout dates and daily minimums work on jet cards, what they do to the real hourly rate, and how charter compares.
When on-demand charter is the better deal
The flying patterns where paying per trip beats a jet card: fewer hours, peak-heavy calendars, changing aircraft needs and flexible plans.
Request a quote
Price the trip before you sign anything.
A charter quote is the benchmark every card offer should beat. Send the trip and an advisor will come back with the aircraft, the operator and an all-in price.
- One-way, round trip or multi-city, from turboprops to long-range jets
- Federal excise tax and known fees already included
- Dogs welcome on many aircraft once the operator approves
Your trip